7/25/09 Left the Bishops and headed for North Cove. The welcome sign greeted us and invited us to pick up a mooring. Beautiful and quiet. Bill gave me a Christmas present early - new mariner's flag for the boat. Bill and Jerry went to Bill's favorite store, Defenders. The previous one went out with the winds. Dinner and hopes for another great day.
7/26/09 Heading for Branford CT. Need ice. That tricky sail batten tried to escape again. I sewed it in permanently when we arrived at Branford.All the marinas close at noon, so no answer to our requests for a mooring. We pulled up to a pier but had to move to another pier. Funny how the phones are not manned when you are looking for a mooring, but how they can find you to collect the fee every evening. Had dinner on the back porch.
7/27/09 Rain, rain making up for the past two weeks. Laid over in Branford. Walked to town. It was Sunday, no stores open. Had a nice tuna salad though. Barb cleaned the boat and reorganized. Bill checked engine, rearranged some hoses, found water leak in head. Had a couple games of cribbage.

7/28/09 Sailed and motor sailed today. The wind picked up in the afternoon to gusts of 35 mph. Decided to head for Black Rock Harbor. Picked up a tranient dock in Fayweather Marina. Bill again repaired that junk outboard pull cord (Jerry repaired it the first time). Walked to the market place in the Spanish section of Black Rock. Got back aboard just in time to avoid a heavy rain.

7/29/09 The wind is still blowing hard. Small craft warnings are still up. Headed out for groceries. Dried out the boat and everything we wore in the winds and high sea yesterday.

We have met the greatest people. Time just flies by. We hope to be going through New York, Hell's Gate, by the time I write again. Love to all.

Friday 9/25/09 Yesterday we left Avondale, motored out of the Pawtucket River, and set sail for Groton, hoping to meet up with Jerry and Sandy Bishop. Sailing was beautiful. We met the Bishops off Mystic and followed them into Hammock Island. They had the dogs and we enjoyed the water, lunch and catching up. We them followed them into the Thames River, under the railroad bridge, dodging all the rowing skulls and Coast Guard sailing races and into the Smith Harbor. It has been fun catching up with dear friends whom we have not spent time with in so long. We are off this morning (I'll have my little personal rendeveau with the Thames bridge keeper - we have a VHF thing going on) to continue along the Long Island Sound. The weather yesterday was 85 degrees. I love the South!

9/23/09 We sailed to Sakonnet River, Sachuest Cove, Flint Point, RI on a beautiful day with a 15 kn wind. We anchored in a quiet cove with a beautiful beach. Walked the beach the next morning and then set out for Refuge Cove, Snug Harbor, Point Judith, RI. Long narrow channel with very little water. Lots of reefs. We anchored in the harbor and met some locals who boated out to visit with us. It's the Kittery Point, Maine thing. Today we are sitting in beautiful, sunny & warm Avondale, CT., Frank Hall's Boat Yard. We had some miscellaneous items that needed attention before we put too many more miles on. The windless had the wrong size chain and line; there was an exhaust leak, poreous lines; a cranky start button; and a rigging adjustment to the furler. People here are great (I'm using the owner's computer). So far, Barb has been declared the best navigator and deck swabber; Bill is the Captain and Cook. Barb locked herself in the shower at Barden's Boat Yard and spent enough time there to do her nails, eyebrows, etc. before Bill heard me (he thought he heard seagulls, but it wasn't quite right) shouting out the window. Bill had an adventure holding onto the mast in 25 kn winds (he looked like we were flying him as a flag) trying to save his batten that was working its way out of the sail. We saved Bill but lost the batten. We are having a good time, no boring moments yet. Love to all.

Sunday, 1/20/09 I think. Sitting in Marion, MA. Bill is fueling up. Plymouth was beautiful. We picked up a mooring and walked around town. Then on through the Cape Cod Canal, through Buzzards Bay and into Marion. I loved the canal. We met Harden Sails on the wharf here in Marion to pick up our batten. Hiked to the laundry. Picked up groceries at the general store. They trucked us back to the pier. Frisbee's Market could learn something from the general store. I learned l lb cheese makes 5 sandwiches. We met some very interesting sailors. We're from Maine you know, so we have already generated a lot of interest. Bill is now itching to take off. Weather is beautiful. Gotta go. (Can't get into Comcast today, so can't answer email. Sorry. Erik, did you get your pictures? Love to all from the Snow Goose.

We left the Isles of Shoals Tuesday AM and set course to Gloucester. The wind was great all the way. Anchored in the harbor apprx. 4:30 pm. Weather was wild today, so we decided to hang out here today. We had a few minor boat problems to square away. Hope to leave in the AM for Plymouth MA. Slowly but surely.